Last-minute TV ad stars Rev. Wright

John McCain has not wielded the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. club over Democratic rival Barack Obama, who repudiated his former pastor and eventually left his Chicago church.

But that hasn't stopped some of those supporting the Republican presidential candidate. The GOP in Pennsylvania, a must-win state for McCain, is airing a tough, last-minute TV ad on Wright and Obama.

"If you think you could ever vote for Barack Obama, consider this: Obama chose as his spiritual leader, this man," the announcer says in the ad, first reported yesterday by Time magazine's political website.

Wright is then shown, in the now-famous video, thunderously saying from the pulpit of a Chicago church while Obama was a member, "Not God bless America, God damn America!"

"He also picked Wright to baptize his children," the announcer says, before Wright is shown saying, "The US of KKKA!"

"Barack Obama, he chose as his pastor a man who blamed the US for the 9/11 attacks," the announcer continues. "Does that sound like someone who should be president?"

FOON RHEE

WASHINGTON - The government is investigating whether any laws were broken in the disclosure that Barack Obama's aunt was living in the country illegally.

Obama's half aunt, who is from Kenya, was ordered to leave the United States years ago after an immigration judge denied her request for asylum, a source told the Associated Press late Friday on condition of anonymity because no one was authorized to discuss the case.

The woman, Zeituni Onyango, has been living in public housing in Boston and is the half-sister of Obama's late father.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement asked its inspector general and the Office of Professional Responsibility on Saturday to investigate whether any policies were violated when information about Onyango's case was publicly disclosed, ICE spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said. The Homeland Security Department, which oversees ICE, cannot disclose details about an individual's immigration status.

Obama's campaign said Saturday he did not know his aunt was living in the United States illegally, and said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed. Federal law prohibits foreigners from making political donations.

"If she is violating laws, those laws have to be obeyed," Obama said in an interview with Katie Couric aired last night on CBS News. "We're a nation of laws. Obviously that doesn't lessen my concern for her. I haven't been able to be in touch with her. But I'm a strong believer you have to obey the law."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

John McCain was a hit on "Saturday Night Live," just not as big a hit as his running mate.

The Republican led the show to its second-best overnight ratings since a December 1997 holiday episode. NBC estimated yesterday that when the final national viewer estimate is known later this week, it will be a little less than 12 million people, compared with the 15 million who tuned in for his running mate Sarah Palin's appearance two weeks ago.

McCain appeared at the beginning of the show, with Tina Fey reprising her impersonation of Palin.

Taking a stab at the better-funded Obama's half-hour TV ad last week, McCain joked that he could afford only an appearance on home shopping network QVC. Then they pitched election-themed products.

McCain also appeared during the show's "Weekend Update" newscast to announce he would pursue a new strategy in the campaign's final days. "I thought I might try a strategy called the reverse maverick. That's where I'd do whatever anybody tells me," he said.

And if that didn't work, "I'd go to the double maverick. I'd just go totally berserk and freak everybody out," the Arizona senator quipped. Or he could resort to "the sad grandpa" and seek pity from voters.

GLOBE STAFF AND AP

Republicans' chances in US Senate races are being hurt by an unpopular president, an unpopular war, and the financial crisis, the head of the party's senatorial campaign committee, said yesterday.

"Democrats are poised to pick up some seats, the exact number we don't know," Senator John Ensign of Nevada said on CBS's "Face the Nation" program.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, predicted his party would "pick up a whole lot of seats," but said it's unlikely Democrats would reach the 60-seat majority required to block a Republican filibuster.

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